BMW Motorrad invests in Slovenian electric off-road start-up Venna, formerly known as Flux
BMW Motorrad has taken a stake in Venna, a young company developing high-performance electric motorcycles with a clear focus on off-road. The German manufacturer announced the deal in Munich on 29 October 2026. Neither the size of the investment nor the share BMW now holds has been disclosed.
A familiar name under a new label
Venna may be a new name, but the company behind it is not. It is the Slovenian start-up previously known as Flux Performance, the maker of the Flux Primo electric dirt bike. BMW’s announcement does not mention the Flux name, but the connections are clear. The former Flux Motorcycles website now redirects to Venna. A US trademark application for the Venna name was filed by Flux Performance Group Inc. And Venna is led by CEO Marko Ukota, who founded Flux.
Ukota, a former Slovenian and Italian national supermoto champion, started Flux Performance in 2021 together with two aerospace engineers, Jure Tomažič and Črt Gorup. THE PACK first reported on the project in April 2022, when the company presented its first prototype. In October 2023 we followed up on the video presentation of the future production model, the Flux Primo.
The Flux Primo
The Primo was announced with a claimed peak output of 63 kW (85 hp), a 7 kWh swappable battery and a list of software-driven features. These include a virtual clutch that simulates the slip of a mechanical clutch, a separate lever for regenerative braking, and ride settings that can be adjusted via a smartphone. The bike was positioned as a direct rival to 450cc petrol motocross and enduro machines. In 2025 the company said it had sold out a first batch of pre-orders at an introductory price of 12,000 euro, with series production planned for 2026.
What the partnership means
According to both companies, Venna will remain independent and keep its own development pace. It will draw on BMW Motorrad’s experience in development, industrialisation and global operations, and the two partners will cooperate in selected areas. Neither company has said which areas those are.
BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Flasch said the deal opens up a new segment for the brand and gives it access to new target groups. BMW points to younger riders, who increasingly see motorcycling as a sporty, performance-oriented leisure activity rather than transport.
Venna CEO Marko Ukota said his company aims to build high-performance electric motorcycles across all riding categories. He described BMW’s investment as a strong endorsement of Venna’s technical approach and said it should speed up both technology development and industrialisation.
Open questions
The announcement includes no product details. There is no information on a production model, specifications, pricing or delivery dates. BMW has also made no mention of a BMW-branded electric off-road bike or a factory racing programme linked to Venna.
THE PACK’s take
Guy Salens: “With Yamaha, LiveWire and now BMW all buying into electric off-road start-ups, the major manufacturers clearly see a future for the segment. Off-road suits electric power better than most areas of motorcycling. Riding sessions are short, bikes are transported rather than ridden to the track, noise rules keep getting stricter, and maintenance is minimal. At the same time, the majors are hedging their bets. Investing in or acquiring a start-up secures technology and talent at limited cost, without committing their own production capacity to a segment that is still small in volume. For now, Stark Future remains the brand that has put an electric dirt bike into the hands of riders in significant numbers. The question is how long it will keep that lead once the established brands bring their new partners up to speed.”